The Wooden Locket
by Jessie Rose 911
Summary: A gang of almost all boys has a female leader. And she is searching for her father, who happens to be one Special Agent Gibbs. When her mother kidnaps her and beats her half to death, will her father follow the clues and find her before it's too late?
1. Tanya

The young woman was rarely shy. So rarely, in fact, that she was considered audacious and (if a female could be described as such) a bit of a hard ass. But when confronted with her mother, she crumbled. Alexia Bardow stared angrily at her daughter with bloodshot, mud-brown eyes. Tanya stood stiffly and stared at the floor almost desperately. She had just asked for information, any information, about her father.

Finally, Alexia spoke. "He's in law enforcement. He's a retired marine. He'd been married 3 or 4 times by the time he knocked me up. He never knew about you. I don't know if he's still alive…" the dead tone she had used changed into one of vindictive glee. "Even if he did know of you, he wouldn't want you. He hated me by the time he left. You're a worthless little bitch, aren't you?" Her sick smile enraged Tanya, but she didn't say a word. It would only make it worse; Alexia always kept the whip close at hand.

Tanya left the house as quickly as possible. As she blew through the door, she was digging in her pocket for the one picture she had of him. She had always taken comfort in it. It proved she wasn't a physical replica of her mother like some people seemed to think. The ice blue eyes that stared out of the picture in her hand were the exact same as the ones she saw in the mirror every day. The smirk was very similar as well. And more recently, when Tanya found a streak of grey at her temple running starkly through her long golden curls, she noticed they had the same shade of premature silver.

Now, as she sat on the woodworking bench in the shed in the back yard, the photo brought only questions. Was her mother telling the truth? If she ever found him, would her father want her? She sighed and ran a hand through her long tresses. No wonder she was going grey at 17, perpetually asking herself these kinds of questions.

She stuffed the photo back in her pocket and got out some sand paper and her current project. A wooden, heart shaped locket hung form a length of leather. After sanding mindlessly for some time she sat back with a jolt, hanging the heart in front of her face. It was finished; there was nothing more she could do for the little piece of jewelry. Tears pricked her eyes. She had made it for her father.

(Scene change)

Two days later she heard a commotion from a souvenir store she was passing by. It was sectioned off with crime scene tape and through the window she could see the back of a grey haired man wearing a black cap and jacket. His hands were up in a placating manor, and she noticed he was wearing latex gloves. He was an investigator. He was also surrounded by five mean looking thugs.

Excellent.

Tonya smirked at her comrades, a mixed race group of tattooed young men (obviously not counting her). They grinned back at her. A tall black man who stood next to her handed her a pistol. She thanked him by kissing his cheek. A subtle signal from her and they all swarmed around the building and entered the back door. Soundlessly they infiltrated the back room and took out the enemy's sentry. The black man, her second in command, named Horratio, poked the agar door cautiously. It didn't creak. They moved in, silently taking up positions behind the investigator's captors. There was a pool of blood behind the counter, Tanya noticed sadly as she stepped over it. Once she was sure she had her target covered, she risked looking at the one they were here to help. Her heart stopped. She knew that face. It had a few more lines, and the smirk was gone, but it was him. Two pairs of icy eyes met for a split second and her hand went to the wooden heart that now hung around her neck. His eyes went there too, but then continued on to the gun she held in her hand.

Tanya's temper spiked. These thugs were going down. She glanced at Horratio. He nodded. "Now, what's all this about, hmm?" she purred in her most dangerous voice. The thugs all whirled around and turned the air blue at the sight of her and her comrades, all with guns aimed at places that would put them out of commission, but wouldn't kill them.

Their leader smiled charmingly at Tanya, despite her gun trained on his groin. "Now, is this really necessary?" he asked, condescendingly. The bastard, thought Tanya as her temper spiked again.

"It is very necessary," she growled.

"This has nothing to do with you." The leader was finally sounding a little worried. Maybe it something to do with the fact that she was now aiming at his chest, and more specifically his heart.

"Correction," she said, her voice low and growly enough that even though everyone could hear her, they had to strain. "It has everything to do with me."

At her damning pronouncement, the leader whirled around and shot at the investigator as a last ditch effort to cause damage. The investigator reeled back, banging his head on the shelf behind him and a little to the left. He dropped like a stone. Tanya let loose a shriek of pure rage as she fired once, twice, three times into the bastard's chest. That was the cue to the others. The air filled with screams and bullets. Finally there was relative silence, with only the moans of the thugs to be heard. Tanya rushed to the investigator's side. There was a bloody gash on his head, but nothing else. She ripped at his jacket, looking for a wound. She was never so relieved to see a bulletproof vest in her life.

Her comrades were still hanging around. "Go!" she ordered them. They shot worried glances at her, but Horratio nodded and led them out. She turned back to the unconscious man. It really was him. She took a handkerchief from her pocket and pressed it gently on his wound. He winced and opened his eyes. As he squinted up at her, she smiled sadly. She touched his face, convincing herself that he was real. Suddenly an unholy shriek of "TANYA" split the air outside the shop. She looked up startled. Her mother was outside. She looked back at him. He was still watching her, face screwed up in pain. Quickly, she took off the wooden locket. She lifted his head, as gently as possible, and he groaned again. She slipped the leather cord over his head and settled him back down. Groggily, he reached up and grabbed the locket, engulfing it in his large hand. She let one tear fall, and it landed on his shirt. She kissed his forehead as he closed his eyes.

She got up and ran to the door. Just before she darted through it and into the waiting claws of her Alexia, she glanced back at her father. She left him there.


	2. Gibbs

**This story is a plot bunny that invaded and consumed my mind, so I have no idea how far it will take me. My other story ****Rosie2: Heartland**** is still in progress, and I'm NOT ABANDONING IT. *ahem* 'Scuse me. Just hitting a little writer's block, no big. On with the story!**

(Earlier)

Gibbs watched as Ducky inserted the liver probe into the dead marine. Gunnery Sargent Collins died while looking to his left, reaching for something under the counter. There was no room for him, McGee who was taking pictures, Collins, and Ducky. He would have to wait until the body was moved and pictures were taken of the blood pool to take a look at whatever Collins had been reaching for.

"He's been dead for about five hours, Jethro," Ducky said, bringing him out of his reverie. He merely grunted his thanks.

Just then Tony and Ziva came trooping in from outside, having just attempted to interview witnesses. They were bickering. "What do ya got, Dinozzo?" Gibbs growled.

"Absolutely bubkiss, Boss, other than the vic's father is the owner of this place. Jeeze, that guy was crazy! He kept asking if this was a drug bust; thought _we_ had shot the guy. He asked a lot of questions…" Tony shook his head.

"Did you get his name?" This came from McGee.

"I think he called himself 'Shorty', but that can't be right. He was covered in tattoos," replied Ziva.

They continued. Gibbs eventually did look under the counter but didn't find anything interesting. This didn't sit right with him, and his gut was screaming out a warning. "Go back and start in on Collins' records, I'll be there in a bit," he told his team.

"Do you need backup, Boss?"

Gibbs stared at Tony for a long moment before saying, "No." Better to get his people out of the way.

After they left, Gibbs prowled around the store, turning up nothing new. He went back and looked under the counter again. Then he saw it. A little white powder at the back of the cubby hole was spilling out of a package marked _Bobble Heads._ Gibbs smirked. He got up and went over to the window, where his bag, and thus his phone, was sitting.

"I wouldn't make that call, if I were you," said a voice from behind him. Gibbs whirled around, hand going to his hip, only to be faced with a posse of thugs. A smug redhead leveled his gun at his chest. "And I wouldn't draw that gun," he continued.

"What the hell?" Gibbs asked as he very slowly raised his hands in the air.

The redhead kept smirking. "You found something of ours. We want it back, and dead men don't talk."

"Now, easy there. No need to be hasty..." Gibbs began, all the while thinking, '_Keep 'em talking, keep 'em talking!'_

"Heh. We are hasty people, Mister." The rest of the thugs laughed at their leader's completely un-funny statement and began to taunt Gibbs.

As they were laughing, Gibbs noticed the door to the store room move ever so slightly. A moment later a silent swarm of teenagers took up places behind his tormenters. All were boys of several different ethnicities, each with a multitude of tattoos. Except one. The odd one out was a girl of about seventeen, blond, with a strange silver streak framing her face. She was medium height, roughly 130 lbs., and had no tattoos that he could see. She was the one that chose Red as her target, and Gibbs swallowed subtly as she expertly aimed her pistol.

Her eyes flickered to his and he felt a jolt from his gut. Her eyes were the exact same as his own. The girl's eyes widened and her free hand fluttered to a heart-shaped locket that was on a long leather cord around her neck. It seemed to be made of wood; he had never seen a locket like that before. His eyes went to her gun. If she missed, he'd get shot.

Suddenly her expression changed from surprise to furry. When she spoke, her voice made his gut jolt again. "Now, what's all this about, hmm?" she purred. The air turned dark blue when his captors whirled around. He almost laughed.

Red tried to talk his way out of the situation, and Gibbs was amused to see that Blondie had her gun aimed at his groin. Amused and a little disturbed. "Now, is this really necessary?" he asked, condescendingly. The fury in Blondie's eyes intensified. Gibbs suppressed a wince; Red was gonna get it.

"It is very necessary," Blondie growled.

"This has nothing to do with you." The leader was finally sounding a little worried. Maybe it something to do with the fact that she was now aiming at his chest, and more specifically his heart.

"Correction," the girl said, her voice low and growly enough that even though everyone could hear her, they had to strain. "It has everything to do with me."

Before Gibbs could ponder her pronouncement, Red whirled around and fired a shot him. He felt he had been punched in the gut. He stumbled back, lost his footing, and felt a shooting pain on the side of his head. He felt himself fall. Gunshots, screams, and a single shriek of rage were what he heard as everything went black.

A moment later he fought past the pounding in his head to listen to what was going on around him. He heard the moaning of his had-been captors. He felt more that heard her kneel beside him. What was she going to do? Kill him? She ripped open his jacket, and then he heard her sigh in relief. So she was worried about him? Why?

"Go," she said, and after a quick pause he heard the many footsteps that heralded the exodus of her people. She was the leader of a bunch of boys?

He groaned in agony when she pressed a cloth to his head. He opened his eyes and squinted up at her, and saw that she was smiling at him sadly. Why sadly? Did she know him? She touched his face tenderly, and Gibbs wished he knew where he knew her from. She looked a lot like Kelly in some ways, a lot different in others.

A sudden shriek of "TANYA" from outside made the girl jump. She looked terrified for a moment, before she looked worriedly at him again. Was her name Tanya? She took off her locket and gently lifted his head. He groaned. God, it hurt. He felt the leather cord settle around his neck as she oh-so-gently laid his head back down. He reached up and grasped the piece of jewelry, making a mental note to study the obvious craftsmanship later.

He felt his heart constrict as he watched a lone tear slide down her face, and he wondered what was so sad. Why did she care so much? She leaned forward and kissed his forehead as he finally succumbed and closed his eyes. He heard her get up and go to the door, pause, and then dart out. The last thing he heard was a scream and tires squealing.

Five minutes later his cell phone rang. Gibbs didn't stir.


	3. Interlude

Tanya groggily came to, and she groaned. "Wake up, bitch," stated a familiar voice, followed closely by a SMACK! Tanya groaned again, the chloroform finally letting go of its hold on her. The stinging trail smarting where Alexia's hand had met her cheek. Her eyes blinked open and met the mud-brown of her captor. The eye contact enraged Alexia. "Insolent little bitch!" she shrieked as she slapped her daughter twice more.

"The hell, woman!" Tanya hollered, realizing she was tied to a chair.

"Be quiet!" Alexia spat in her face, and punched her in the jaw. Tanya reeled back, tasting the blood from her newly split lip. "You wanna know what's going on?" she asked leaning close and Tanya winced at the suffocating smell of cheap vodka on her mother's breath. Tanya glared at her, demanding answers with a mere look. "You know, your father had that same look," Alexia murmured to her almost sweetly. Another punch came, without warning, giving her the beginnings of a black eye. "Your father left me – left me with you – and I will never forget that. I know you and your precious boys saved you father earlier. You should've let him die. Oh, how I wish you had let him die!" she ended with a hiss.

"Like hell!" Tanya burst out. Alexia punched her in the gut. She doubled over and groaned. The beating continued, and she was near tears when Alexia finally stopped.

"You gonna give up, Princess?" came the sickly sweet voice.

"_No._" There was strength in that word.

Alexia smirked. She went over to the tape recorder on the other side of the unfamiliar room. She popped out the tape and left the room. Tonya jiggled her restraints. Chains. The sick bitch had used _chains._

**Because of the language, child abuse, and violence, I was considering changing the rating from T to M. (PG13 to R). Review and tell me what you think! Chapter 4 is coming down the chute fast!**


	4. Evidence

Groggily, Gibbs opened his eyes, once again fighting past a major headache. "Boss?" the too-loud voice of his senior agent cut through the fog.

"Uhhggg…. Did you get the number of that bus?" Tony looked worriedly at him. He was making a joke? He must have hit his head really hard.

When he made like he was going to sit up, Tony laid a hand on his shoulder and pushed him back. "Ducky's orders were not to move before he got here. I just heard him pull up, so chill a while, Boss man," he said.

"It was the red haired one that shot me…" Gibbs groaned as he lay back down. He realized he was clutching a pendent he didn't remember wearing in his hand. As he dangled the wooden heart from his hand, the fuzzy memory of his encounter with Blondie swam to the surface.

"Ah, did you draw your gun, Boss?"

"No. No time."

"The redhead's been triple tapped in the chest."

"Wha…?" As he tried to sit up again, Ducky came on the scene.

"No, Jethro. Hold still for a moment." Very carefully, Ducky extracted the bloody handkerchief and deposited it into the waiting evidence bag.

"Hey Boss? We need the locket." Tony held out an open evidence bag. Gibbs eyed it for a moment, for some reason _really_ not wanting to give up the piece of jewelry. Eventually he did. Now that he got a good look at it, he realized that it was of better craftsmanship than even he first expected. Its chocolate grain stood out starkly from its creamy background, it was sanded until it felt soft to the touch, and it had little intricate carvings all over it. The hinges, clasp, and other hardware were expertly fitted into the wood. The maker had to have tiny hands. Gibbs laid it gently in the bag, not just dropping it like he would've any other time.

"Try sitting up, Jethro," asked Ducky when he had finished securing a bandage around his head. Carefully he sat, and became aware of all the paramedics in the room. And they certainly weren't there for him. The entire posse that had cornered him where being wheeled out to waiting ambulances, except for one. The redhead was being left well enough alone. He was lying in a puddle of his own blood, mixed slightly with that of his comrades, three bullet holes riddling his chest, and a look of fear permanently etched on his face.

"Damn…" was all Gibbs said.

"What do you remember?" This was from Tony.

"Ah… I was cornered by some thugs wanting the meth I found under the counter. A whole vigilante group of teens came in behind them. All boys and one girl. Everyone had guns. She confronted Red, he saw he was losing and shot my vest. I hit my head. Everything gets fuzzy after word. There was a lot of gunfire, some screaming, and then the vigilantes left. All except for the girl. I think she checked if I was ok, then gave me that necklace."

"You talked with her?"

"No, Dinozzo, I didn't."

"Weird…" Dinozzo muttered.

"She was possibly an angel in disguise, my friend. You could've been killed today," Ducky pointed out.

"I know, Duck. I know."

(Scene Change)

"What do ya got for me, Abbs?" Gibbs said as he entered the Goth's domain swiftly.

"Gibbs! Are you all right? All I heard was that you got hurt!" The excitable lab tech was instantly and simultaneously hugging him and checking his injuries.

"Abbs! I'm fine! Do you have anything or are you just gonna fuss over me?" he chastised. Abby huffed.

"Well, there were bullet casings galore. But every single one was from a different gun. Everyone in that room only shot once, assuming they only had one gun per person. Except for one. There were three bullets that Ducky pulled out of Red and three bullets casings found over by the counter; all from the same gun. I can confidently say all the guns were pistols."

"Good, Abbs. What about the handkerchief?"

"Glad you asked Gibbs! Not only was there your blood, but plenty of others' as well. Only one was female, but there were plenty of other foreign male donors too. No matches in so far though."

"Hmm. Locket?"

"It's one of the most beautiful pieces of jewelry I've seen in a long time! There were two sets of fingerprints, yours and one other. I'm still waiting for a match there as well."

"Did you open it yet?"

"Yes! You have to see this…!" She dragged him over, gently, to the table. Donning rubber gloves, she gently cracked open the piece of wood. There was a little picture of a young girl, about 7, in jeans and a purple shirt. She was grinning and waving at the camera, curly hair blowing in the breeze. She looked happy. "She's so cute, isn't she?"

Gibbs recognized her as the blond girl that had saved his ass at the shop. She didn't look so carefree now-a-days. "Yeah, Abbs. She does."

Just then a man in delivery uniform walked in and announced, "Delivery for L. Jethro Gibbs."

"Here," Gibbs grunted. Opening the small package he found a VCR tape. His insides froze. This was bad. "Abbs…" He held the box out to her, not wanting to touch anything else. She took it silently and popped it in the player. The big screen flashed blue, then the image of a blond girl with a silver streak slouched unconscious chained to a chair came into focus.

"Oh, god…" Abby breathed.

"MCGEE! Get yourself, Tony, and Ziva down here fast!" Gibbs shouted into his phone.


	5. Reactions

_"Hello, Jethro," came the sickly sweet voice. _

Gibbs cringed visibly when he heard the unmistakable slur. Alexia Bardow had found a way to get back at him, just like she always said she would.

_"You're probably wondering what's going on, and what she-" the woman jerked her head at the unconscious girl, "has to do with anything. You see, Jethro, she saved your life. I couldn't let that slide. Plus, she is my _dear daughter,"_ she enunciated these words with fake concern. "They only reason I kept the little bitch all these years was the hope that I could use her to get back at you. Because guess what, Jethro? _She's your daughter."

Everyone gathered in Abby's lab gasped. Gibbs felt like he'd been shot all over again. _His daughter_. No wonder she looked so familiar.

_Alexia smirked at the camera. "She has your eyes and even your premature grey hair…" She flicked the grey lock off of her daughter's face. "Let's see if we can see those pretty blues. Wake up, bitch."_

_Smack!_

Gibbs couldn't breathe. He heard her groan, and he had to check himself from groaning in despair right along with her. Blue eyes blinked open on the screen… his daughter's eyes.

_She looked up at Alexia, who seemed enraged at the action. "Insolent little bitch!" she shrieked, slapping her twice more._

Gibbs let out a growl of outrage, and he was not the only one. His whole team had clenched fists and fiery eyes.

"_The hell, woman?"_

Gibbs inwardly rejoiced at the sound of his daughter's voice, even if it was an expletive. "You go, girl!" Abby cheered the girl's defiance, but was silenced by the madwoman's next action.

"_Be quiet!" was followed by a punch to the jaw._

Gibbs felt sick as he watched helplessly as the blood welled up on her lip.

"_You want to know what's going on?"_

When the girl glared, Tony gasped. "She has the Gibbs glare!"

"_You know, your father had that same look…" One punch to the face later, when she had a black eye, Alexia continued. "Your father left me – left me with _you_ – and I will never forget that. I know you and your precious boys saved your father earlier. You should've let him die. Oh, I wish you had let him die!" Alexia hissed._

Gibbs felt cold. Then he was touched by Tanya's vehement response.

"_Like hell!"_

He promised himself then and there that he would protect her just as vehemently. Then the beating started. Gibbs had seen far worse, true, but it had never been his little girl on the receiving end. To say the least, he saw red. He had never been more angry, sad, or proud all at the same time as when he watched her look up with no tears on her face.

"_Gonna give up, Princess?"_

He growled audibly. Alexia Bardow was gonna die.

"_No."_

The occupants of the lab shivered. She didn't seem like the type you should mess with. Well, duh, she was a Gibbs!

The screen once again turned blue.

"Go over every scrap of evidence there is, TWICE!" Gibbs thundered. The team scrambled into action, partly because Gibbs was pissed, and partly because family of the boss was family of theirs.


	6. The Deputy

**In a previous story of mine, a main character was mute and had to use sign language. I got a flame regarding this. Here, Deputy Horatio is DEAF. And please no flames about it. Thank-you.**

Horatio stepped nervously into the bullpen, Keagan and Shaw right behind him. Horatio was a tall, broad-shouldered handsome African American. He had barbed wire tattooed around his right bicep, and a howling wolf on his left shoulder blade. Even though people often saw him as some punk kid, he was actually much more important than that. He was the Deputy of the vigilante group called the Wolf Pack. His most important title in his opinion, however, was Tanya's Boyfriend. And now Tanya was missing.

Keagan, the new kid, still a 'Cub' in the eyes of the Wolf Pack, looked nervously at the Deputy, then at Shaw, a close friend of Horatio's. Horatio signed You talk to Shaw, straightened his back, lifted his head, and marched in there like the highly trained Wolf he was.

Activity in the bull pen ceased. Gibbs watched warily as three young men he recognized from his daughter's vigilante group marched in. They stopped, and the African American turned to the one of Asian descent. His hands flew rapidly, before the Asian turned to Gibbs and said, "We need your help."

Gibbs narrowed his eyes. The Asian was obviously the second in command of the little delegation. He wanted to speak to the leader. He turned to the Deputy and signed Who are you? This have anything to do with Blonde?

Horatio snarled slightly. He should show respect! H-O-R-A-T-I-O. Her name is T-A-N-Y-A. She has gone missing. Shaw was surprised that the investigator they had helped just that morning was fluent in sign language, but let the two hash it out without interruption from him. He had to stop Keagan from snarling at the exotic looking chick though. She reminded him of Tanya in a bad mood for some reason, and he didn't want the Cub to get his ass kicked just yet.

Where does she live? Gibbs asked.

Why? Horatio was instantly suspicious. The Pack wasn't exactly legal.

So we can figure out where she was taken. Gibbs was starting to get impatient. This guy came looking for help, but then he was stalling.

She stayed with me whenever she could, but mostly she lived at her mom's house.

Now they were getting somewhere! Address? He handed Horatio a sticky pad and a pen. Horatio never liked Alexia, so he gladly gave it to them.

You know something we don't. It wasn't a question, Gibbs noted, but a statement.

He deliberated before telling the Deputy, We received a video from her mother earlier. She is being held in an unfamiliar location.

Horatio felt all the blood drain from his face. That sick bitch. Keagan nudged Shaw, wondering why he and Horatio looked ashen all of a sudden. Shaw shook his head. "Later," he muttered.

Horatio signed, Phone, and held his hand out expectantly. Hesitantly, Gibbs dropped his cell in the young man's waiting hand. Horatio added a number to Gibbs's contacts and handed it back to him before signing, Call if you need _anything._ Gibbs nodded, catching the meaning behind the offer. A subtle nod from the Deputy and the vigilante delegation hustled back to the elevators.

"Boss…?" Tony asked, half out of his seat to go follow the boys.

"No. They'll come if I call 'em. Come on, we have a lead. McGee! Stay here and check all of Alexia Bardow's finances!"

"On it, Boss!" Tim called as his team mates all but ran to the elevators.

(Scene Change)

The home of Alexia and Tanya Bardow was a messy one. Alexia seemed to be a major pack rat. There was no car in the garage, and Gibbs hoped that one of Tanya's boys could give a description of her vehicle. Sadly, in Gibbs's opinion, there was no basement. He ventured upstairs while Tony and Ziva went through the ground floor. He peeked in the master bedroom. Nothing out of the ordinary. He moved on to the second bedroom, and then stopped dead. His daughter's bedroom.

The walls were painted a dark midnight blue, the floors were wooden with a large black rug, and all the furniture was wooden with a very dark stain. Various Celtic designs were etched in the furniture, like it was all _crafted_ by the same person. School awards, pictures of a familiar group of boys, and posters were taped to the walls. Sheer silver curtains drifted in the breeze in front of an open, but screened, window. Silver sheets, a black comforter, and a blue throw blanket were on her carefully made bed. Clothes spilled from a hamper. Old take out dinners were scattered around the floor. A CD rack held all sorts of music; from hip-hop to country with even some classics thrown in. An iPod and a laptop along with several other miscellaneous wires were spread over her desk. Gibbs took the laptop with him so McGee could take a look at it.

He found nothing more upstairs and was heading down when Tony rushed in from the backyard. "Boss, I think you should see this," he said in all seriousness, and even a little bit of uncertainty. Gibbs followed him silently to a large shed in the back yard. What was in the shed took his breath away. It was a wood working shop, with all manner of tools and supplies. Scattered on the work bench were plans for a locket, one that looked exactly like the one laying in Abby's lab at that moment.

"Gibbs! Tony!" Ziva's voice was loud and shrill, not at all the usual for her. The two men in question looked at each other, and then bolted back to the house. Ziva was standing by the couch, holding up a whip in her gloved hand. It had blood on it. The men stopped in their tracks. Gibbs felt as though he was going to be sick.

His cell phone rang, and he answered it with a weak, "Yeah, Gibbs."

"Boss!" McGee's panicked voice crackled over the little speaker. "There's another video!"

**Sorry if you got two update alerts with this one. I had to fix something! I love reviews… They make me update faster.**


	7. One Tear

**Thank you, thank you, THANK YOU for all the reviews. They really do make my day.**

_Tanya came to slowly, watching as her surroundings got clearer. Finally she blinked away the last of the haze. The room was rectangular, roughly twelve by five feet, with a low ceiling. The walls, floor and ceiling were all unfinished wood, looking rather worse for wear. There was one window at the opposite end of the narrow room, with old newspaper taped over the dirty panes. It also had old sheers hanging limply on either side, now more brown than white. The only furniture in the room was the chair she was chained to, a table, and a tripod with a video camera. On the table were knives, a whip, and a pistol._

_ She swallowed. Her mouth was very dry. But she would not quiver, or shake, or cry, or anything scared little pansies do. He tongue darted out to lick her chapped lips and she winced. Her lip throbbed where it split and the wince had woken up the bruises all over her face and neck, and it pulled on a long deep scratch on her right cheek. The scratch was from Alexia's ring when she had slapped her. She carefully moved the rest of her body. Besides bruises, her ribs seemed to be worse for wear. She did not know if they were broken, fractured, or just severely bruised, but dear God it hurt!_

_ "Well, hello Tanya. Enjoy your nap?" Alexia said, too loud for Tanya's throbbing head._

Gibbs and the rest stood stiff watching the plasma screen in the bullpen avidly. The video had started with Tanya waking, looking around, shifting slightly and wincing. When Alexia first walked in, Gibbs glared. Hating that this had already happened; hating that he could do nothing; hating that his daughter had to go it alone. Her sticky sweet tone enraged him. That phrase should be uttered with _genuine_ love and care, murmured so as to not startle the precious child.

_"Go to hell." Tanya was tired. She was tough, but she was still a civilian, not trained for these types of situations. _

But then again, Tanya was no longer a child, was she? The whip with her blood on it attested to that. Gibbs crossed his arms and hunched his shoulders; that sick feeling now a physical pain.

_SMACK! The slap ended with Alexia's nails scraping across her left cheek. "Do not speak to me like that!" the madwoman hissed, wiping her now bloody hand on a towel she had brought with her._

_ "Oh, excuse me, _dearest mother,_ I meant 'Go burn in the deepest pits of Hades'." Tanya's teeth were bared like an animal in a crude shadow of a smile. Her eyes were like ice._

_ Alexia reacted unexpectedly. She smiled. She ripped the sleeve off of Tanya's shirt before retrieving a knife from the table. She suddenly grabbed a handful of Tanya's long tresses and pulled her head back roughly with them. Tanya hissed through her teeth, having jerked her arm, trying to block Alexia instinctively. The movement had jarred her ribs badly. Alexia glided the knife across her throat, but blood only beaded, the cut having been slight._

_ "I could keep you alive for a long time, remember that, Little Bitch."_

McGee turned away. He couldn't watch any more. He sat heavily at his desk and went after Alexia's records with renewed vigor. The team was family, and since Tanya was the boss's daughter, he considered her his little sister. And as all of NCIS knew, no one messed with Tim's little sister.

The rest only glanced at him. His harsh pounding of computer keys told them all they needed to know. If anyone could find Tanya through use of computer, it was McGee.

_Alexia's next target was her cheek. The blade reopened the half clotted scratch on her right cheek. Tanya's stony eyes revealed nothing. The knife was quickly moving on to other, more painful things on her arm…_

Gibbs watched it all, punishing himself for not being there. When the video was finally over, he rushed from the bullpen to the restroom. He hit his knees in front of the toilet and retched. Nothing came; he hadn't eaten all day. His stomach still twisted, the memory of his daughter's blood running down her strong lithe arms plaguing his mind. Shakily, he stood. He would not allow himself to dwell on it. If Tanya could stare Alexia Bardow in the face while she carved up her arms, then her father could be strong enough to find her before breaking into a million pieces on the sawdust covered floor of his basement.

Sawdust brought to mind Tanya's workshop, and all the tools, supplies, and (upon further snooping) delicate wood carvings. Tanya's craftsmanship was incredible, and Gibbs was sure she could teach him a thing or two. If they ever got that far.

After splashing water on his face, he leaned heavily on the counter, hands on each side of the sink. A lone tear joined the tap water on his face. Would he ever get to know his Tanya? Or would he only have a wooden locket to remember her by?


	8. Found

** Big thanks to all who reviewed. I must admit, I got a little teary eyed when I wrote the end of the last chapter. Please remember that addresses and such are completely made up.**

Tony watched worriedly as Gibbs half stumbled into the bullpen, scrubbing his face with both hands wearily. His boss sat gracelessly at his desk, stared aimlessly for a moment, then pushed his still full coffee cup over the edge and into the trash can. There was nothing wrong with it, but Gibbs had not drunk a single sip since that morning. Tony ardently wished they found Tanya soon, not just for her own safety, but so Gibbs didn't sink any further into his depression. If they didn't find her in time, he feared Gibbs would self-destruct.

As in answer to his silent prayer, Tim suddenly yelled, "I think I found her!" in a voice that rose at least two octaves in the process. Gibbs practically vaulted over his desk, Tony and Ziva right behind him. "Bardow owns a tiny cabin near Norfolk, 1239 Bear Rd!"

"Let's go!" thundered Gibbs, a certain glint in his eyes that sent the team scrambling like bright green probies. They had barely shut the doors of the car reserved for them before Gibbs tore out of the garage. In their high speed race towards the cabin, even Ziva found herself clinging to the oh-shit bar. Gibbs slowed down considerably when he got to the gravel drive that led to the cabin. As quietly as a car can go, they approached the hell hole.

(Scene Change)

Tanya groaned again as Alexia's whip slashed her stomach. She glared at her through a haze that had her worried. How much blood had she lost? Where her ribs really broken? What if… She mentally slapped herself; she would not dwell on those stupid questions!

Something felt different, she thought distractedly. She was getting farther and farther away mentally from her beating. She couldn't pin point what, but it had nothing to do with Alexia. This _different_ feeling caused a tiny flame of hope to ignite in her gut.

The very end of the whip flicked her jaw, and she groaned again.

(Scene Change)

Gibbs killed the engine thirty yards from the tiny run down cabin. They got out, guns drawn, and crept toward the barely standing structure. Gibbs's heart pounded painfully in his chest, as though it was fighting to get out. The windows were all either boarded up, or covered in newspaper. The door was unlocked, but squeaky. After one agonizing screech from the hinges, during which all the agents winced, they filed in. After clearing all but one room at the back, they paused at that door. A CRACK and a low groan made all their blood run cold.

They wasted no more time. BANG! They door flew open, bouncing back against the wall with the force of Gibb's kick. They all turned their pistols on the older woman. If they had bothered to notice, they would've been knocked over by the smell of stale vodka that wafted from her. "Federal Agents! Drop your weapon and put your hands behind your head!" Tony hollered, angrily and loudly.

Alexia screeched in wordless rage. She dropped the whip but reached behind her and grabbed a pistol. She had barely brought it up to firing level when Gibbs lost it. Six times bullets ripped through Alexia's chest, even after she was down.

Silence. Heavy breathing. Ziva, Tony, and McGee watched their boss warily. His hand shook slightly as he lowered his gun. He turned and holstered it quickly. Quick steps brought him to where Tanya was still chained.

"Tanya!" he gasped, half relieved, half horrified. He kneeled in front of the half conscious girl, and grabbed her hands. Half lidded icy eyes stared at him, showing no recognition. They flickered to Alexia's dead but still bleeding form, then back.

"Tony! Her chains! McGee! Get an ambulance! Hurry!" Gibbs snapped out orders over his shoulder. Both scrambled out of the room. Ziva stayed behind, remembering the last time they had left Gibbs alone. Tanya was in no shape to save his ass this time. Gibbs turned back to his daughter, who was still regarding him emotionlessly. "C'mon, angel, hang in there…" he murmured to her, begging her to understand and recognize him, to be OK. Still holding her hands, he rubbed his thumb soothingly over her knuckles, trying desperately not to notice the blood he was smearing on them.

A deep, shuddering breath wracked her beaten frame. Her eyes opened a little wider, and her eyes glinted with intelligence. She gripped his hands, as though he were going to slip away. She opened her mouth, hesitated, then whispered, "Dad-" A deep, painful cough interrupted her. A little blood leaked out of the corner of her mouth.

Tony rushed back in with a pair of sheers. They were plenty big enough to take care of the chains. Without the chains to hold her up, Tanya slumped, about to fall. Gibbs caught her and cradled her to his chest. He tried to be mindful of her injuries, but at the same time all he wanted to do was hold her tight. "Tim's talking the ambulance driver through the route. Evidently we're pretty far off the map, and outside on top of the car in the only place with service," Tony informed them.

"Really? Sitting or standing?" Ziva asked with only passing interest. She watched the corpse carefully. Giving how evil the woman was, she wouldn't be surprised if she came back to life after some deal with the devil. She had a hand on her gun in any case.

"Standing. And cussing them out too. I've never heard McGee use such language!" Tony laughed hollowly. He was much more worried about Tanya than McGee's growing language problem.

Gibbs only listened with half an ear. The rest of his attention was focused on the bloody angel in his arms. She reached up weakly and grabbed the front of his shirt. "Dad," she murmured again, crystal blue eyes locked on his.

He smiled. "That's me, angel. An' you're gonna be just fine. I promise." He rocked her, not really noticing he was doing it. Ambulance sirens could be heard, and Tanya closed her eyes, finally feeling safe.


	9. TellTale Eyes

**I'm really, very, very sorry for the long wait. I have a summer job and it is kicking my ass. And now, I present to you, **_**Clash of the Titans. **_**DUN DUN DUUUNNNN!**

Horratio practically ran into the lobby of the hospital, followed closely by six other young men. He looked wildly around before he spotted the familiar head of silver hair. He marched over. Where is she! he demanded with angry hands.

Gibbs put his hands up in a placating manner, though the effort failed as it brought all the vigilantes' attention to the blood still on his hands and clothes. "The doctors are still patching her up. They'll tell me as soon as she's settled."

"Why you?" Keagan was once again part of the delegation. Shaw had been left behind to act as leader to the remaining Wolf Pack, since both Tanya and Horratio were occupied. Keagan wasn't as 'in the loop' as Horratio, Shaw, and some of the other senior members of the Pack. He had no idea that Tanya had been searching for her father for several years now, nor had he seen the picture she kept of him. He would have shown much more respect if he had known he was facing Tanya's father.

Horratio turned and gave him the 'hairy eyeball'. Keagan shut up. The Deputy blew a hard breath through his nose, still glaring at the Cub, before turning back to Gibbs. Will she be OK? He asked anxiously.

Gibbs studied his almost tortured face and wondered just how close this guy was to his daughter. "She might have a few scars, but she should make a full recovery. Just who are you to her?"

Horratio froze. He didn't know if this man (whose name he did not know) knew Tanya was his daughter. If he did, did the Deputy dare tell him that Tanya was his girlfriend? The piercing eyes and the aura of authority were just as intimidating on this man as they were on Tanya. Horratio cleared his throat unnecessarily, before signing I am her boyfriend. We are all friends of hers. He did not dare say they were vigilantes.

Gibbs's eyes narrowed. "Boyfriend, huh? You aware that I'm her father?" Keagan and a few other Pack members gasped and looked to their deputy for confirmation. Horratio was reminded of Tanya on a really bad day as he tried not to be intimidated by Gibbs's glare. He swallowed and nodded. Keagan went pale. He had just mouthed off to the Chief's dad!

"How-a-bout you and your friend's _hang out_ with my agents while I wash up? Then you and me," he tapped Horratio's chest, "are going on a coffee run."

(Scene Change, Slight Time Jump)

Riiinnnnggg! Riiinnnnggg! Riiinn-

"Hello? Gibbs residence."

"Hey Dad."

"Leroy! How are you? What's the occasion?"

"Well… a complicated one."

"Oh?"

Silence on the line.

"The beginning is usually the best place to start."

"Yeah… Well, almost eighteen years ago, I had a girlfriend named Alexia Bardow and well…"

"You got her pregnant, didn't you? Leroy Jethro Gibbs, I-"

"Dad, let me finish!"

"Sorry, Leroy."

"Ya gonna let me talk now?"

"Yep."

"Promise?"

"Nope."

"Dad…"

"OK, OK, I promise. Go on."

"Yes, I got her pregnant-"

"Le-"

"BUT I didn't know until yesterday. I found out what a messed up motherfu-"

"Language, Leroy."

"_Dad_..."

"Zipping it."

"Thank you. Anyway I found out she was a mean … you know… and I left before she knew she was pregnant. Yesterday I was at a crime scene and I just about got myself shot before a bunch of teenagers swooped in and saved my butt."

"Teenagers?"

"Vigilantes. All of them were boys except their leader, a girl that has great aim with a pistol. I got hit in the head in the process, and the last thing I see is that girl checking me for injuries."

"You got hurt? Are-"

"Dad, I'm fine. Anyway we start processing, trying to figure out who these people are, and a video is delivered to us. The sick bit-

"Language!"

"DAD!"

"Sorry."

"No you're not. Alexia kidnapped her own daughter, beat her within an inch of her life, and sent me a video rubbing it in my face. Then, through this video, she tells me that the girl, Tanya, is My DAUGHTER!"

Heavy breathing is the only sound.

"My God, Leroy…"

More silence.

"We got to her just in time. McGee did some sort of financial tracking thing and found out Alexia owned a cabin near Norfolk. We almost didn't… it was to close. She's in the hospital now. Alexia's dead. I just wanted to let you know… you have a granddaughter again."

Jackson's throat was clogged with emotion, but he managed to choke out, "I'll be there as fast as I can."

"Thanks, Dad."

(Scene Change, Time Jump)

Tanya woke to an awful pounding in her skull, a parched mouth, and a large, calloused hand holding her own. Finally, after much deliberation on whether or not it was worth it, she opened her eyes. The man holding her hand was not her boyfriend, whom she had expected. It wasn't even her father, who was her second guess. Her last memory, after all, was being held and comforted by the grey-haired marine. No, this man was completely unfamiliar to her.

He did not seem to pose a threat; not only was he elderly, he was fast asleep in a very uncomfortable looking hospital chair. He was somewhat portly, in a grandpa kind of way. His skin was weathered and wrinkled; smile lines and crow's feet were etched deep in a kindly face. He had worried frown in his face, even as he slept. His hair held her somewhat hazy attention for some reason. It was the shade of white she imagined she (and her father, she thought giddily) would turn one day. One knarled hand was holding her own in a gentle grasp; the other had a wooden cane in a death grip.

She observed with strange detachment that she must be drugged on painkillers, because she felt curiously numb and giddy. Her wandering attention went back to the mystery man. She decided she liked him, with all his Santa-without-a-beard charm. She unconsciously squeezed his hand.

He started awake, and Tanya couldn't hold back a gasp. Ice blue eyes peered back at her in surprise.

"Well, hello, little lady. A fare few people will be glad that you're awake."

His eyes were the exact same shade as hers and her fathers.

**Reviews are love.**


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